Despite the complicated article I posted a few days ago, the Canucks are in the playoffs as a result of the L.A. Kings losing 4-2 to none other than the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. This Kings loss guaranteed a Vancouver Canucks playoff birth, but last night’s results also proved to be helpful as the playoff-bound Canucks winded down the season.

Last night, the Canucks were destined for a playoff spot – but whether that would be in the 1st Wild Card spot, 2nd Wild Card spot, 3rd in the Pacific, or 2nd in the Pacific was anybody’s guess. The results of multiple games just 15 hours ago decided most of their fate.

As the Canucks took the ice against the Arizona Coyotes last night, the L.A. Kings were an hour through their game against the Calgary Flames. The L.A. – Calgary game was an important determiner of who the Canucks would face in the first round. Before last night, the Canucks had a 75% chance of playing the Kings in the first round, and a 25% chance of playing the Flames in the first round. But that changed dramatically. As the Canucks were racking up a considerable lead against the Coyotes, The Kings @ Flames game ended. The score? 3-1 Flames. An hour later the buzzer sounded at the Canucks – Coyotes game. The Canucks had won 5-0. The Kings were knocked out of playoff contention and the Flames became the guaranteed contender of the Canucks in the first round of the 2015 NHL playoffs.

The Canucks – Flames series will be the first since 2004, when the Flames beat the Canucks in the first round in 7 games.

This series will be the Pacific Division Seed 2 vs. Pacific Division Seed 3, but who is seed one (with home-ice advantage) and who is seed 2 is not determined. Both the Canucks and the Flames have one game left in the regular season. The Canucks have 99 points and the Flames have 97 points, so for the Flames to get home ice advantage, a lot would have to go wrong.

The Vancouver Canucks can gain home-ice advantage in the first round vs. the Calgary Flames and seed 2 in the Pacific Division with at least a point vs. the Coyotes on Sunday. Even if the Canucks don’t get any points (lose in regulation), the Flames would also have to win in regulation or OT in their game vs. the Jets to take home-ice advantage away from the Canucks.

GO CANUCKS GO!!!

Thank you Canucks fans,

Joshie Bear

2 thoughts on “Canucks to play Flames in first round of the 2015 playoffs”